


Fatherhood

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: fiftysomething [1]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Family, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-20
Updated: 2011-10-20
Packaged: 2017-10-24 19:24:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/266989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Four days is an eternity without you. Next time we’re all going.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fatherhood

**Author's Note:**

> This is #1 in the fiftysomething series, Hotch and Prentiss with their children years after the BAU. Written on October 1, 2008.

Hotch’s face was down in the pillow. Not completely down because then he could not breathe but as down as he could get it. He let them drag him out last night…they complained he did not get out enough. Emily was out of town and the kids were old enough not to set the house on fire. Hotch tried to find a million reasons to say no but could not find one. So he went, and had a good time.

There was plenty of bourbon and beer. There was baseball and waitresses dressed in skimpy clothing. There were excellent Buffalo wings. Now there was the blissful sleep of intoxication. The only thing that would have made it better was his wife. He was as horny as hell last night. Only for a split second did Hotch think how utterly sad it was for a man in his 50s to be jerking off. The rest of the time, he was too busy doing just that.

“Dad? Daddy? Daddy, wake up.”

The gentle nudging was not working so Bree practically shoved him. Hotch’s eyes shot open, blurry and unfocused. He was sure he spoke and just as sure it was not English.

“Daddy, please wake up.”

“I'm awake, I'm awake.” Hotch rubbed his eyes. “I'm awake baby, what's the matter?”

“I'm…”

“Bree?” Hotch sat up in bed, silently commending himself for not appearing hung over. Unfortunately, his daughter was standing on a slant. There was also two of her, possibly three.

“Daddy, I'm…bleeding.” She hardly whispered the last word.

“Oh shit, OK, I’ll um…” he hopped out of bed and quickly moved into the bathroom. “Don’t move, I’ll be right back.”

Hotch flung open the closet, staring blankly at the feminine products. Two years ago Emily subjected he and Derek to a DVD on puberty. It was one of the most awkward experiences of his life and now he struggled to remember every word. He grabbed two feminine napkins, what a deceptive name for them, and went back to his daughter.

“Have you ever…?”

Sabrina took them and shook her head.

“I know what to do. Mom and I talked and watched a video.”

“OK, well um…OK. Are you achy baby?” he rubbed her stomach but she moved away. “Are you feverish or nauseous?”

“No daddy. When is mom coming home?”

“Tomorrow evening.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “I'm sorry Bree. How would you like some tea and toast?”

She smiled, turning to leave the room. Hotch groaned, running his fingers through his hair. She was twelve years old and turning into a woman. Looking at her, she resembled her mother so much he almost did a double take. Of course, he wanted her to grow up but it was so hard to watch. Right now, it was also hard for Hotch to see, move, and think. A hot shower and strong coffee were essential. The whole house would be up soon.

***

“I miss you so much that I cannot breathe.” Hotch murmured into the phone.

He was out on the back deck, leaning on the railing and trying to catch the sun’s rays. The nine-year-old twins, Dylan and Alexandra, were at the table eating breakfast with ten-year-old Ciara Morgan. Bree was hiding out and from the sound of AC/DC coming from his open window, 17 year old Jack was working out. Soccer practice started next week and he wanted to make his senior year his best. Scouts were already interested; the Hotchners were beating away the vultures at every turn. The grinding of Angus Young’s guitar was going to drive Hotch insane.

“I’ll be home tomorrow evening.” Emily said.

“7:30 flight into Reagan. Northwest Flight 2219, Gate G14.”

“Good job honey. You don’t sound good Hotch, are you coming down with something?”

“They dragged me out last night.”

“Dragged? They? Were there strippers, Hotch?”

“No!” he exclaimed and held his head. “We went to Hooters for sports and stuff. It was nice but…”

“You drank too much?”

“Sometimes I can still fool myself into thinking I am a young man. Now I have five kids and a hangover.”

“When did we have another child?” Emily asked.

“CeCe is here until Derek drags his ass out of bed and picks her up. Sabrina got her period, baby.”

“What? She didn’t even call me. Is she alright?”

“I remembered the video. I gave her what she needed and she ate the tea and toast that I made for her. Why isn’t she five anymore?”

“Good question. I should be there.”

“You'll be here tomorrow. I am sure she will call you Em. She is probably asleep. That is if she can sleep through her brother’s music.”

“Yeah, you're right.”

“Don’t be upset baby.”

“I am not upset.” She sounded just like her own mother when she said it. Emily wondered if Bree and Alex would cringe when they woke up one day and sounded like her.

“Tell it to someone who doesn’t know you.”

“Make sure she calls me, Aaron. She is too much like me…she won't even talk about it.”

“Unlike commercials I'm sure it’s not something discussed over coffee in a café.”

“Dad?” Dylan poked his head out of the sliding glass door.

“Yes?”

“Can I have some more orange juice?”

“Yes, and please clean up after yourself. Tell Alex and CeCe the same thing. Say hello to your mother.”

“Hey mom!” he disappeared back into the kitchen.

“I cannot wait to come home and hug you guys.” Emily said.

“I'm hoping for more than a hug. Four days without you is an eternity. The next time we’re all going.”

Emily laughed.

“I do alright when you're away.”

“I think I might be needier than you are.” Hotch replied.

“Doubtful. I love you so much.”

“I love you too baby. I should probably go and um…”

“Recover?”

“Something like that. Call me before you fall asleep.”

“The time difference…”

“I could care less Emily.”

“Alright. Kiss my children, twice.”

“Will do. Bye.”

“Bye Hotch.”

Hotch closed his cell phone, dropping it into the pocket of his sweatpants. Back in the house, the kids were actually loading the dishwasher. Wonders never ceased. Jack was in the process of making the largest bowl of cereal Hotch had ever seen.

“Hey dad.”

“Hey Jack. You're down here and Angus Young is still on upstairs.”

“My bad.”

“Mmm hmm.”

“I called my dad, Uncle Aaron.” CeCe said. “He said he would be here in an hour.”

“Alright. Showers everyone; CeCe, make sure you have everything you need.”

She and Alex went up the back stairs gabbing like old women. Hotch thought of CeCe’s mother. CIA Special Agent Gina Sanchez was killed in the line when she was just six. He never remembered mothers dying when he was a little boy. They did, surely, but he didn’t remember any.

As close as he could be to death in his job Hotch hated that it hit home too. Looking over at his two sons made him smile. Dylan and Jack were thumb wrestling. The older boy was winning though his free hand shoveled cereal into his mouth.

“Crap.” Dylan’s face scrunched up, making him look even more like Jack. “Your hands are too big.”

“Yours will grow, kid. And I will still kick your butt because that’s what big brothers do.”

“I hope you guys have plans today.” Hotch said.

“I'm hanging with Lin.” Jack said.

Hotch liked Jack’s girlfriend. He was still wrapping his mind around Jack being old enough for a girlfriend but Melinda Hoffman was a very nice girl. Hotch thought of himself as a teenaged boy and cringed.

“Street hockey.” Dylan said.

“Please wear a helmet or your mother will have my head. I'm going to check on your sister.”

“Is Bree sick?” Dylan asked.

“She’s a little under the weather. She’s going to be OK.”

***

“Its pretty late Secret Agent Man; you still hanging in there?”

“I'm sure you're not planning to go to bed at nine.” Hotch replied.

“Don’t be difficult. How was your day?”

“Good. Jack was off with Lin and their friends so Alex went with CeCe when Derek stopped by. Dil played street hockey for most of the afternoon…I envy his energy. Did Bree call you?”

“We talked earlier this evening. She is alright but I will feel better when I can hold her in my arms.”

“I feel the same way about her mother.”

“I'm proud of you Hotch; four days with the kids.”

“It had its moments. We have an amazing brood.”

“Yes, we do.”

“Jack and Dylan can waste hours thumb wrestling. It never gets boring apparently.”

“They real wrestle too. Rambunctious is the word that comes to mind when people ask me about my boys. If our youngest ends up in the ER once more I swear social services are going to get involved.”

“He wore a helmet today, I made sure. I don’t mind wrestling myself you know, in the appropriate venue of course. This bedroom for example.”

“You are a dirty old man. I'm not going to get any sleep tomorrow, am I?” Emily asked.

“Sleep on the plane.” Her husband replied.

“Yes sir. Get some rest; you'll need your strength for tomorrow.”

“I love you baby, call me before takeoff.”

“We might be codependent. JJ thinks so.”

“Oh, she's one to talk. We are codependent, and I love every minute of it. Call me, Mrs. Hotchner.”

“I promise. Sweet dreams, I love you Aaron.”

“Goodnight.”

***


End file.
